Code-switching is a common feature of bilingual language use and has multiple factors that influence the frequency and type of code-switching. 56 Spanish-English bilingual children recorded sessions of Spanish-designated and English-designated interactions with a caregiver at 2.5 and 3.5 years. These sessions were transcribed and coded for all code-switched utterances. At both ages, we found: (1) Children switched to English more frequently than they switched to Spanish. (2) Their degree of English dominance was a positive predictor of their frequency of switching to English, but a negative predictor of their frequency of switching to Spanish. Between 2.5 and 3.5 years, children became more English dominant, and their rate of switching to English increased while their rate of switching to Spanish decreased. The present findings suggest that the strongest influence on bilingual children’s code-switching is their relative proficiency in their two languages and as that proficiency changes, their code-switching changes. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The prediction and/or early identification of problems of the first grader are of concern of concern to educators, school psychologists, and those engaged in elementary school social work. Social and behavioral problems interfere with the child's ability to succeed in school and it is clear that if these difficulties could be anticipated early in the first grader's school experience there could be immediate intervention to enhance his chance for success.

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In recent years, considerable attention has been given to a social information processing model as a means of understanding interaction patterns in children. Within the framework of that model, systematic biases have been found in the manner in which aggressive children process social information. The present study sought to extend that literature by applying the model to younger children, by examining the processing of withdrawn, as well as aggressive, children, and by employing traditional affect recognition tasks as the stimuli. Sixty preschool children were nominated by their classroom teachers as either aggressive, withdrawn, or well adjusted, according to their predominant interaction style. The children were then tested, using a set of affect recognition tasks which assessed stimulus encoding and interpretation. Stimuli consisted of facial expression photos and context stories portraying one of four emotions (Happy, Sad, Mad, or Neutral). The hypotheses of the study predicted systematic biases in stimulus encoding and interpretation, consistent with the subjects’ behavioral style. Analyses failed to support the hypotheses in that the groups failed to show identifiable systematic biases. Exploratory analyses revealed that subgroups of subjects demonstrated such biases, but those biases were related only to level of developmental maturity. The discussion of the findings explored issues which may have led to the negative results. Further research directions were also discussed which will help to clarify the questions raised by the present study. / Ph. D.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Chronic pain, defined as pain lasting more than 3 months, is a common and costly health condition. Thirty-three percent of adults and upwards of 35% of children report experiencing pain due to various diseases, disorders, or accidents. Recent research has identified perceived injustice and anger as important constructs in an adult’s pain experience and a possible focus for intervention efforts. The present study explored the extent to which perceived injustice and anger expression operate similarly in children with chronic pain as in adults. This was a retrospective analysis of data from 122 patients seeking treatment at a pediatric pain clinic. Results supported anger expression as a mediator in the relationship between perceived injustice and pain intensity but not psychological distress, suggesting that anger expression operates similarly in children as in adults with chronic pain. Unlike previous findings in adults with chronic pain, injustice did not moderate the relationship between pain intensity and psychological distress, suggesting that injustice operates differently in children with chronic pain compared to adults. The strong association between injustice and pain outcomes (i.e. pain intensity, quality of life, functional disability) suggests that injustice is an important construct to explore in the chronic pain experience of children.

M.A. (Psychology) / Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is now recognised as the most common neurobehavioral disorder of childhood, affecting children from their earliest infancy through school and into adult life. (Shaywitz and Shaywitz 1991). It is prevalent in both clinical and normal populations and consensus ofopinion seems to be that approximately 3% to 5% of the childhood population has ADHD.( Barkley 1990) The impact that this disorder has on the child and his immediate world cannot be underestimated, nor can the reciprocal basis to these behaviours be ignored. While the basic contention of this paper is that ADHD has a strong biological/hereditary basis to its development, nevertheless account must be taken ofthe impact of the child's behaviour on his surrounding world, and the impact again in turn ofthat world on the child's behaviour. In this reciprocal interaction between the child and the world, definitional problems arise wherein those diagnosed with ADHD do not consistently show hyperactivity.

M.A. / ADD is a term used to describe a group of individuals who have certain common problems. Most have learning difficulties that may interfere with school and social activities. Many are hyperactive and/or easily distracted with short spans of attention. The exact causes of ADD are not known, but there is widespread acceptance that the disorder is often inherited. ADD is presently managed, but not cured. Effective management requires understanding. It is essential that all those involved develop a commonsense understanding of the associated problems. The aim of this study is to describe the behaviour of ADD children and their parents in order to establish whether similarities exist between the two. This will assist in understanding this complex disorder. The literature review served as a theoretical basis for the research. It also aided in the design of additional questionnaires which were used to gather demographic information on the children and parents involved. The objectives of the study were firstly to describe the behaviour of ADD children using the Behaviour Rating Scale for Hyper-children (BRASH). By analyzing data gathered from this instrument, high scores in the areas of intensity, persistence, sensitivity, perceptiveness, energy and extroversion, were identified. Secondly, the Assessment Scale for Hyperpersons (ASH) was administered in order to collect data concerning the behaviour of parents involved. Areas that received high scores included: intensity, perceptiveness, sensitivity, energy and extroversion. The next objective was to establish possible similarities in the behaviour of ADD children and their parents. The behaviour patterns were compared, and similarities identified. Both groups scored highest in the areas of intensity, perceptiveness, sensitivity, energy and extroversion. The results emphasize ADD as a family issue, rather than an individual one.

M.A. / This study comments on the debate surrounding behavioural indicators on the child that has been sexually abused. The basic objective of this study is to determine whether behavioural differences can be identified between the child that has been sexually abused and a child that has not been abused. For this research study the quasi-experimental design and specifically the comparison post-test-alone is utilized. The experimental group was exposed to sexual abuse and the comparison group was not exposed to sexual abuse. The result of this study indicates a statistically significant difference toward behavioural indicators, between the experimental group and the comparison group. Children in the experimental group experienced higher levels of psycho-social problems. Therefore it can be accepted that sexual abuse resorts in behavioural changes. It is therefore recommended that behavioural changes are utilized in practice by social workers to verify sexual abuse.

M.A.(Psychological Research) / Child maltreatment has occurred over the ages, but has been recognised as such only during the present century. The concept of maltreatment is culturally bound and therefore dependent on value judgements within a community. What is acceptable in one society may be rejected in another. Medical professionals discovered skeletal injuries in young children that was eventually traced to harsh treatment by parents. Physical abuse was thus identified, resulting in public and professional awareness and involvement. Later neglect and sexual abuse was identified as variations of maltreatment and legislation was instituted for the protection of children. Maltreated children manifest symptoms of behavioural, emotional and scholastic problems, and antisocial behaviour such as crime is being ascribed to child abuse. Research shows a tendency of placing emotional factors at the centre of maltreatment and the concept of psychological maltreatment was thus born. The present study was an attempt at indicating the relationship between maltreatment by parents and their children's ability at forming personal attachments. A questionnaire was developed in an attempt to operationalize the concept of psychological maltreatment and make it quantifiable. A comparison between this questionnaire and the PHSF relationship questionnaire indicated that a damaged capacity to form personal attachments may be traced back to psychological maltreatment. The implications of these findings were briefly discussed.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by deficits involving social interaction, communication, and perception. Although there is much research that has examined functional neural connectivity in individuals with autism, few have conducted these studies in very young children while awake across EEG power and coherence measures. Anomalies in EEG coherence and power have been associated with deficits in executive function and mental activity. The present study examined neural activation and functional connectivity with an EEG, in children ages 3 -5, during an eyesclosed baseline period. Discrete Fourier Transform was performed on artifact-free segments of EEG data to produce power density values. In addition, coherence measurements were examined to assess functional connectivity in the alpha bandwidth during the baseline recording. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrated reduced alpha coherence in fronto-temporal regions and between right temporal sites when compared to typically developing (TD) children. In addition, the reduction in coherence was based on ASD severity, such that high-functioning children with ASD showed greater coherence than low-functioning children with ASD. Children with ASD also displayed reduced power in the alpha, beta, and theta frequency bandwidths in frontal, temporal, central, and occipital regions compared to TD children. Interestingly, delta power differentiated children based on developmental status such that high-functioning children with ASD demonstrated the greatest delta power, followed by TD children, and then low-functioning children with ASD. Finally, TD children demonstrated left anterior temporal EEG asymmetry in the alpha bandwidth, whereas children with high-functioning ASD exhibited left posterior temporal EEG asymmetry and right frontal EEG asymmetry. Thus, the results suggest that children with ASD exhibit atypical patterns of brain activity and functional connectivity compared to their typically developing counterparts. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013.